


Prince of Thieves

by KelpieChaos



Category: Persona 5
Genre: Akira likes to think he's smooth but he's not impressing anyone rip, Black Mask doesn't exist because Akira Would Never(tm), Fluff, Goro just wants someone to like him, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Roleswap, also because I love my sweet boy and I would cry if I had to write him like that, fateswap au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-18
Updated: 2019-01-18
Packaged: 2019-10-11 23:10:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,009
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17456057
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KelpieChaos/pseuds/KelpieChaos
Summary: Goro Akechi got magical powers, and he decided that if no one was going to protect the vulnerable, then he would. Years later, he has become the infamous Phantom Thief of Hearts, which is all well and good until a fateful encounter with the detective in charge of capturing him puts everything he’s worked for in danger.





	Prince of Thieves

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Mertiya](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mertiya/gifts).



Goro wanted it on record: he truly had tried to stay away from the detective.

Just because Kurusu had seemed nice enough when they met at the TV station – and more than cute enough, no matter how much he refused to think about that – did not mean that he would refrain from arresting him.

The responsible thing to do was to just avoid Kurusu.

It was easy enough to keep his distance from the detective’s favored hangouts. It was even easier to stay away from his public events, since the dates were posted absolutely everywhere. Goro had worked much too hard for much too long to be arrested now just because he couldn’t avoid one person.

…It didn’t work quite as well when said detective decided to patronize the one coffee shop Goro himself worked at.

Detective Kurusu had taken over a corner of Leblanc’s bar, spreading out files and muttering near silently to himself as he worked. A half-empty mug of cold coffee sat by his elbow, carefully placed to not stain any of the papers. Every now and then, Kurusu would lift the cup to take a sip, then put it back down without drinking any as he caught another trail in his paperwork. His free hand absently twirled a pen, light flickering off its metal clip and catching Goro’s eye with each rotation.

It was late enough that Sojiro and all the regulars had already left, and Goro was doing everything he could to avoid having to interact with the other boy. The dishes were all clean, the counters were sparkling, and the coffee beans had never been more organized.

Goro was running out of things to do.

He found himself wiping the counters again, trying to ignore the rustle of papers and drone of the TV in the background.

There was an exam coming up…he really should study for that; he needed the best grades possible for university applications. And he needed to ask Sojiro for more shifts, his apartment’s air conditioner recently broke and his landlord refused to replace it unless he could pay upfront for it. There was also that minor politician whose campaign included raising the cost of adoption; he should find some time to change his heart, maybe this weekend he could–

“I think the counter’s clean by now.”

Goro jumped, head snapping up and heart racing. He hadn’t said any of that aloud, had he?

The detective was leaning on the counter, head lazily propped in one hand. His grey eyes were focused on Goro instead of his papers, and a small smirk pulled at his lips. His other hand played with the handle of his coffee mug, tracing the curve of the ceramic back and forth with his thumb.

Kurusu watched him for a second, waiting for a response Goro didn’t want to give, before gesturing with a graceful shift of long fingers to the rag Goro still held.

“Unless that towel has some other purpose than removing invisible stains from the impeccable counter?” Kurusu teased.

Goro had to stop his hands from clenching around the fabric. Why couldn’t the detective leave if he was finished working?

“It does not,” he replied sweetly, trying to keep a pleasant façade, “but I had assumed that it would be awkward to just stand and watch while you worked, as you _are_ the only customer left.”

Kurusu hummed, obviously gauging the truth of his statement. He seemed to accept it, but instead of taking the hint, he settled in further. With calculated disregard, Kurusu gave a slow smile and tilted his head to look at Goro through thick lashes. “You looked like you were thinking about something hard,” he nearly purred, “Penny for your thoughts?”

Goro forced his polite smile to stay in place, even as annoyance raged underneath. “It was only some minor worries, nothing that would catch your interest, I’m afraid.”

“I could use some minor worries,” Kurusu laughed quietly, dropping the seductive act, “the large ones are driving me crazy.” He poked a pile of files and made a face at them. “Besides,” he said, turning back to Goro, “you’ve already got my interest.”

Ice washed down Goro’s spine. Already caught his interest? He couldn’t know, could he? If he did, why wasn’t Goro in cuffs already?

No, wait. The detective was just flirting a second ago – badly, but still – that must be what he meant.

“Everyone else seeks me out, wants to be a part of the _sparkling fame_ that follows me around,” Kurusu rolled his eyes. He paused, dropping his gaze to his mug. “But you don’t.”

He tipped the cup from side to side, watching the coffee slosh inside. A flash of a grimace crossed his face before he continued.

“You actually seem to avoid me.” Kurusu carefully kept his eyes on the bar in front of him, and Goro couldn’t help but stare. “I was hoping if I stayed here long enough I could figure out why.”

“Ah,” Goro said. He hadn’t thought he had been that obvious. “You noticed that.” He needed to come up with an excuse, and fast. But his thoughts felt like quicksand, and he was left floundering. What would be the best story to tell?

“Yes,” Kurusu nodded, “I noticed that.” A self-conscious smile stole its way onto his face. “Would you tell me why? I didn’t think I was that terrible a conversation partner at the station.”

“I…” Goro trailed off, unable to think of anything except a modified truth. “I did not want to get caught up in all the detective nonsense. I have enough to worry about without adding worrying about saying the right thing for whichever groupie of yours was closest to post online.” Hopefully, the detective wouldn’t question him too closely.

Kurusu brightened, sitting straighter in his seat. “So it wasn’t anything I said, or did?” He grinned, nearly vibrating with excitement. “I was worried I had scared you off or something, but I couldn’t figure out how I did it when you were so confident at contradicting me before.”

Goro didn’t know what to say. He had let himself enjoy their first conversation too much, and it hadn’t occurred to him until much later how dangerous it was to discuss the morality of the Phantom Thief’s actions when he himself was said thief.

But before Goro could respond, Kurusu’s phone chirped. Muttering apologies, he pulled it out to check the message. Goro watched as dismay painted itself on the detective’s expressive face over where childlike glee had just been.

“Are you kidding me?” Kurusu groaned.

Curiosity piqued, Goro couldn’t help but ask, “What is the matter?”

Kurusu dropped his head to the bar, holding out his phone so Goro could see the open message screen.

 

> _FROM: THE ANN-MAZING MODELING CRÊPE_
> 
> _hey scooby-snacks! me and shiho have taken_ _over_ _your apartment cause_ _my parents are_ _actually home_   _and we want a girls’ night!_
> 
> _thx for the key_ _!_ _(_ _@_ _＾_ _3_ _＾_ _@)_ _/_ _～_ _♥♥♥_

 

Goro couldn’t help but laugh a little. “Did you just get _sexiled_ from your own apartment?”

Kurusu’s hand fell to the bar with a sharp _clack_ as the phone hit the wood. “There’s a high chance of that, yeah. When I told her she could come over whenever, I didn’t mean for this.” His voice was muffled by the counter, and his curls bounced when he shook his head.

Miserably, Kurusu propped his head up to look back at the text. “I can’t even go home later; once I thought I would walk into dinner sitting cold on the counter or something, and let’s just say that the quiet apartment I thought I was returning to _really_ wasn’t all that quiet. There’s no way I’m repeating that.” He dragged a hand down his face, muttering quietly, “Ann’s lucky we’re such good friends, and at least she deep cleans and organizes my entire apartment afterwards.”

“What are you going to do?” Goro asked. While he normally tried to avoid unnecessary drama in his life, and especially drama that included the detective, this was a free show and he wasn’t going to pass it up. Living by himself gave very few opportunities to laugh at someone else’s misfortune. “If you cannot go back to your apartment tonight, where are you going to stay?”

Kurusu was quiet as he thought for a couple seconds. Then he slumped, groaning out a pathetic: “ _I don’t know_ …” A frustrated noise, then, “Ryuji is at a meet, and Yusuke has an art show in the morning; I can’t bunk with either of them tonight. And I’m not gonna text any of the girls, even if they might be willing to put me up for the night.”

He rubbed at an eye, pulling a face and sticking his tongue out. “I guess that means finding an open capsule hotel.”

…Goro knew he was going to regret this.

It was unequivocally, absolutely, 100% his worst idea _ever_.

It could single-handedly ruin him.

He was literally just thinking about how he needed to stay away from the detective at all costs always.

But as much as he had been trying to avoid the detective, he also couldn’t just let him stay this miserable. Years of fixing people’s problems in the Metaverse had softened him, apparently.

Made him crazy and idiotic, more like.

He closed his eyes, ignored the part of him telling him how stupid he was being, and sighed.

“You can stay with me,” he offered, opening his eyes just in time to catch Kurusu’s reaction.

The detective’s head snapped up, hope blooming across his face. “Wait, really?” He laughed, relieved. “You’re my savior.”

He grinned at Goro, before dimming a bit. “But what about your whole avoidance plan? This really wouldn’t help with that…”

“No, it doesn’t,” Goro replied slowly, “but as long as we do not make too much of a fuss, surely not that many people will notice?” And as long as Kurusu stays out of his drawers. He was sure he had gotten rid of anything incriminating laying around earlier. “Besides, there can’t be too terribly many of your fans still out and about this late.”

The wide smile returned. “You’re right,” Kurusu agreed, “I’m usually left alone once it hits evening.”

Goro nodded an acknowledgement and started moving to put his rag and apron away. “Well,” he started, “since we are the only ones here and it is nearly closing time anyway, do you want to head out?” He hung up his apron on the hook in the back to the sound of papers being shuffled away.

He took a second to try to figure out what he was doing. Why did he offer that? This was a ridiculous risk, and he just willingly invited it upon himself. But it wasn’t like he could take it back now…

When he turned back around, he stopped short, startled to see almost a different boy at the bar. Kurusu had pulled thick rimmed glasses out of nowhere, and they sat crooked on his nose. They made his face look sharper, but more relaxed at the same time. Approachable.

His coat was evidently reversible, because the usual sleek black leather had been traded out for fuzzy looking grey suede. He had taken his trademark red gloves off and ruffled his hair out of its carefully styled disarray into total chaos. The only immediately recognizable part was his bag, black with red lightning and striped stars. But even that bag was fairly common, as people imitated Kurusu’s style more and more.

Goro wasn’t sure if he liked the change. It made Kurusu look soft, and innocent, and friendly. It made him cuter than Goro wanted to acknowledge.

He certainly refused to acknowledge the heat rushing his face as Kurusu went to rub an eye and accidently poked himself in the glasses, startling himself. How could this boy be the same person as the famous detective?

“Akechi?”

He startled at his name. Desperately trying to compose himself, Goro moved to grab his coat and bag from under the counter. He silently cursed himself for freezing, responding with a curt, “Yes?”

Kurusu waited until he had stood back up and pulled his coat on. “Since I’m going home with you and all, I was wondering if I could use your first name? Feel free to call me Akira, even if you don’t want me to call you Goro.”

He had just the slightest pout, like he thought puppy eyes would help his request. Goro wished he was wrong. Combined with the outfit change, he was just too adorable to resist. Not even telling himself that getting closer to the detective is a bad idea could make a dent in the desire to give in.

“Well…” Goro said, dragging the word out just to watch Kurusu’s pout become more dramatic, “I suppose that would be amenable.”

Kurusu’s – _Akira’s_ – smile was more gleeful than a child’s. Something as simple as exchanging names meant a lot to him, apparently. Goro could see him practically dance in his seat.

“Thanks, Goro,” he said, playfully winking at him. The glasses caught the light briefly, reflecting a small rainbow.

Goro just nodded, feeling his cheeks heat again. Ducking his head to hide his face, he hurried to the door, hearing the detective get up behind him.

Stepping out, he let Ku– _Akira_ pass him before turning to Leblanc’s door to flip the sign to CLOSED and lock up. That done, he beckoned for Akira to follow him to the Yongen-Jaya station.

“Unfortunately, it is a bit of a long ride to my apartment,” Goro apologized as they stepped down onto the escalator.

“That’s fine.” Akira shrugged. “It’s not like we’re in a hurry or anything, right?”

As they settled onto the train, luckily finding two open seats together, Akira suddenly turned to Goro.

“Hey, why don’t we grab dinner in Shibuya?” Akira gently tugged on Goro’s sleeve. “I’ll even pay for us both since you’re being so nice to me and letting me stay over.”

Goro had to admit that dinner out sounded nice, especially because he was pretty sure that the only food he had at home was leftover takeout. And he certainly was not going to argue against free food.

“If you’re sure,” Goro conceded.

He saw Akira cheer a little in his seat, and he had to quickly smother a grin at the boy’s excitement. How easy it was to please Akira. Goro almost wanted to see what else he could do to make him smile, to keep that bright joy focused on him. So few people honestly seemed to enjoy his company, and already this was near addictive.

Goro felt the world grey when he remembered that they could never be friends, or he would put his freedom – perhaps even his life – at risk.

The train pulled into the Shibuya station, and Goro quickly rose to leave. Suddenly, the train car was suffocating, and he was desperate for the open air of the station square.

He barely heard Akira call his name, static crowding his thoughts and ringing drowning the sounds of the people around him. Barely not running, Goro pushed his way through the station and burst into the square. Panting, he nearly fell, bracing his hands on his knees in a desperate attempt to stay standing.

He knew the world wasn’t fair. If it was then he never would have been left to the orphanages. If the world was fair, then his father would not have abandoned his mother and him. If the world was _fair_ , he never would have needed to become a phantom thief.

If the world was fair, then the only person who seemed to truly like him would not also be the detective trying to arrest him.

Goro desperately wished the world was fair.

“Goro?”

A hand gently placed itself on his back, startling him. Flinching away, Goro straightened up, meeting concerned grey eyes with his own wide, wet ones. Akira’s hand was still in the air where Goro had been, and his face was flat except for the twist in his brows that gave away his worry.

“I’m-” Goro forced himself to gasp out, eyes dropping away and heart still pounding, “I’m okay.” He concentrated on smoothing out his breathing, bullying his lungs back to a normal pace. He could at the very least manage to stand up and look Akira in the eye to make that statement believable.

Akira’s hand slowly dropped, and his eyes seemed to scan Goro’s face. They were both quiet as Goro did his best to ensure that he looked calm and confident, to make Akira believe his farce.

Reluctantly, Akira nodded, stepping back out of Goro’s personal space.

“If you want me to go find a hotel, I can,” Akira quietly offered.

Panic surged again through Goro’s veins. If he was only going to get one night of comradery, then he was going to do anything it took to keep it. He had already committed himself, Akira couldn’t back out!

“No!” He reached out, grabbing Akira’s wrist. “No, it’s fine, I’m fine. You can stay.”

He wasn’t ready to be left alone again. Not yet.

Delicately, Akira moved his hand so that he could catch Goro’s, rubbing his thumb along Goro’s skin once their fingers were interlaced. He stepped forwards again and reached for Goro’s other hand.

Goro let him take it, tired and wanting and not caring of the danger this closeness presents.

“How about this,” Akira started, murmuring near intimately, “we go and get some food we can take to your place, then I’ll make us dinner there?”

“That sounds…” Goro searched for the right word. Perfect? Amazing? Like exactly what he didn’t know he wanted to hear? “…nice.”

“Yeah?” Akira smiled at him, and gave his hands a small squeeze. “There’s a store not far from here; it’s not super big, but it should have all the basics.”

Goro gave himself a sharp mental shake. He needed to get control of himself. He returned Akira’s smile with a small one of his own and took back one of his hands, sweeping a grand gesture to Central Street behind him. “Then what are we waiting for?”

Akira’s laughter followed him as he walked towards the shops, and neither let go of the other’s hands.

 

* * *

 

“This sure is a cute place you’ve got, Goro.”

Goro hummed a response, carefully setting his grocery bags on the counter. It was amazing how much calmer he felt after some fast shopping and the train ride home. Though he was pretty sure it wasn’t due to the shopping itself, but the boy he did it with. Akira had made grocery shopping into a game, and more than once had made Goro laugh with his stupid vegetable puns.

He stepped aside to let Akira put his bags down too, pulling off his coat to hand in the small closet. He took and hung Akira’s as well, then reached for his pans in the cabinet.

“The rice cooker is in the cabinet next to the sink,” he told Akira, putting the pan down on his stovetop. He turned to pull the cutting board and knives out.

“You’re so tidy,” Akira marveled. He put the rice cooker on the counter and plugged it in. “The only time my apartment is this clean is when my cat yells at me. Or after Ann cleans it.”

“I apologize,” Goro said, “but did you just say that _your cat_ yells at you to clean?” He was pretty sure that he had heard right, but that made no sense.

“Yeah.” Akira measured out the rice and water, and set the rice cooker going. “I swear my cat is actually human or something, the way he yells at me. He keeps a better schedule than I do.” He leaned back against the counter, crossing his arms and rolling his eyes with a soft smile.

“Your _cat_ does.” He shook his head, feeling a huge grin pull itself across his face. “What else does your cat yell at you for?”

Akira gently nudged him out of the way, reaching for the pile of ingredients.

“Well,” he thought for a moment, turning the stove on and tossing the soy sauce and spices in. “He usually works better than my alarm does, and is probably the only reason I make it to school on time.”

“I have heard cats are particularly determined to wake their owners up when they want something.”

“Uh-huh. The funny part is, he also yells at me to go to bed on time.” Akira started cutting the onion.

“So your cat tells you when to clean, when to wake up, and when to go bed?” Goro was desperately trying not to burst out laughing. His hand rose to cover his grin, as if hiding his amusement could help him control it.

“Yup,” Akira drawled. He shot Goro a look from the corner of his eye. “You can laugh at me, I know it’s pathetic to get bossed around by a _cat_.”

Goro couldn’t help it. Peals of laughter erupted from him, and he ended up with one hand over his stomach and the other over his mouth, trying to hold himself together.

He couldn’t remember ever laughing this hard before. Certainly not since he was thrust into the orphanage.

He hadn't thought he could anymore.

It was a relief to be wrong.

By the time he had wrested control of the giggles, Akira had put the onions and beef in the pan and was stirring it. Goro wiped his eyes, small bursts of giggles still erupting occasionally.

Akira’s eyes stayed purposefully on the food, a content expression softening his features.

“This is almost done, by the way,” he said, giving the pan one last mix and putting the kitchen chopsticks down on the rest. He turned to Goro and tilted his head in question. “Where are your bowls?”

“Oh,” Goro started. “Yes, of course, let me just grab them.” He reached around Akira to take two bowls out of the cabinet. Gently placing them next to the rice cooker, he heard the machine click off. “Just in time,” he noted, “Akira, the rice is ready, too.”

“Perfect! We’re good to serve whenever you want, then.”

Goro scooped rice into each bowl, then passed them to Akira for the toppings. He pulled out two pairs of chopsticks, and they settled at the small kitchen table to eat.

Companionable silence fell as they ate. Goro savored each bite, the simple home-cooked meal somehow better than any of the takeout he’d had recently.

It was almost disappointing to finish his bowl.

Goro stood up to put his dishes in the sink, washing and drying them carefully. As he worked he shifted to address his guest.

“I can wash your dishes too, Akira,” he offered. “Since you cooked the food, it’s truly only fair for me to clean up.”

“You sure?” Akira gently placed his bowl on the counter in Goro’s reach.

“Of course.” Goro took it and started rinsing it out. “Go ahead and see if you can find something interesting on the TV to watch.”

“Sure thing, boss.”

Akira moved off to the main room, and Goro could hear him looking for the remote over the sound of the water. The shuffling sounds stopped, and Goro guessed that Akira had found it.

But the TV didn’t turn on.

“Akira?” Goro called. “Everything okay? If the remote is dead, there are batteries in here.”

“Uh, that’s not the, erm, the problem here,” Akira called back, voice uncharacteristically unsure.

Goro felt his brows furrow in confusion. Not the problem? Then what was? It hadn’t sounded like Akira had opened any drawers or anything, so he couldn’t have found the materials Goro used to make his Mementos tools. And he was certain he had sold the last bit of treasure a couple days ago, so there shouldn’t be any of that sitting around.

He dried his hands on a nearby towel, stepping towards where Akira had disappeared around the corner.

And froze when he saw what Akira was holding.

A half-finished calling card.

Goro had accidentally spilled glue all over the card last time he was making one, ruining it and causing him to start all over. He had just pushed it aside then, and he had meant to destroy it.

He had forgotten about it instead.

And now it was in the hands of the detective investigating him.

_Shit._

Goro felt himself go cold and focused. The fluttering panic was shoved aside, locked deep to deal with later. Right now he needed the will that allowed him to take down Shadows and steal treasures.

Akira hadn’t looked up, carefully turning the calling card between his hands. “This is what I think it is, isn’t it, Goro?”

Goro couldn’t see his face, but his voice was quiet and toneless. As silent as possible, Goro shifted to block the detective’s escape.

“That depends on what you think it is, doesn’t it, Detective?”

Akira nodded, Goro’s flat response a confirmation in of itself.

“You know, I’m supposed to arrest the Phantom Thief,” Akira mused. “Taking you in is exactly what my superiors are expecting. And with this?” Akira flourished the card. “No one would even think to find reasonable doubt.”

Goro was trembling. He could feel it in his fingers, twitching for his weapons. In his legs, prepared to launch himself forwards. In his heart, twisting at the thought of being caught.

Twisting at his almost friend turning back into the merciless detective.

Twisting that he thought it could be any different.

“That does require you being able to catch me,” Goro heard himself reply. Did he really think he could get away? Living in the Metaverse could be doable, the rest floors had no Shadows and as long as he brought supplies in…

But he wouldn’t be able to get those supplies. Not without calling the police down on the shop owners.

If he couldn’t get away, then he had to prevent Kurusu from bringing his evidence to the station.

He had even less idea how to do that.

Kurusu delicately placed the card on Goro’s desk, leaving one hand just barely touching it as he turned to face Goro. He looked sad, like this was the last thing he wanted.

“I had really hoped my suspicions weren’t going to be confirmed,” he said. “I wanted to believe that it was just a series of coincidences linking you to each change of heart incident.”

Goro’s brain kicked back into gear. His _suspicions_?

“You knew it was me?” Goro snarled. “Was all this just some elaborate farce in order to get me to lower my defenses?” Goro was almost hurt, but he let anger swallow the pain. He couldn’t believe he was so stupid as to fall for Kurusu’s flirtations and empty platitudes. “If it was, then congratulations; you played me like a fool.”

Kurusu just calmly looked back. “I’m a detective, Goro, and you’re just an idealistic boy. There was no way you were going to be able to erase all your tracks.”

Goro had decided long ago that he would never kill, that there had been enough pain in his life without becoming a murderer on top of it.

This lying, deceitful detective was nearly making him reconsider.

“Then _why_?” Goro couldn’t help the snapped question, his emotions too tumultuous to control. “I understand you following me to Leblanc, accepting my _idiotic_ invitation home, but _why_ would you pretend to enjoy my company? What was the _point_ of… of all _that_?!” He gestured sharply towards the kitchen, his arm cutting a furious line towards where they had just been sitting, enjoying a homemade meal full of laughter. How could he have been so stupid as to believe that was true?

“I wanted to know if I was protecting an honest man or a criminal.”

What?

“I-you- _what_?” Goro spluttered, confusion breaking his tense frame. His arms dropped, body straightening out of his fighting stance as he tried to make sense of that statement.

Aki- _Kurusu_ smiled at him. Just a little, just with the corner of his lips. Just enough that he looked like the boy he’d been laughing with instead of the uncaring detective.

“Like I said, there were a series of coincidences linking you with each change of heart. A conversation here, a stamp there, a near excusable absence or change of routine just perfect enough to be suspicious.” He ran a hand through his hair, ruffling it self-consciously. “Any other detective and you might have gotten away with it. Unfortunately, I’m still in tune with high school students, being one myself, and your rhythm was nowhere near the normal high schooler’s. Not even one who worked as many odd jobs as you do.”

“So what?” Goro challenged. “You just followed me around until something gave me away?”

Kurusu ducked his head, fluffing his hair with a hand again. “Pretty much, yeah,” he admitted. “You’re a hard guy to keep track of, by the way.” He offered that last part like it mattered, like Goro wasn’t caught _anyway_.

“Then why didn’t you arrest me immediately?”

If Kurusu had figured it out already, then why hadn’t he arrested Goro long ago? And earlier, he had said he was _protecting_ the Phantom Thief?

“Because what gave you away was saving those cats.”

…what?

“What are you talking about?” Goro couldn’t remember going out of his way to save any cats recently.

Kurusu laughed under his breath. “I’m not surprised you don’t remember, actually. I overheard that convenience store lady tell you about this creep that was abusing local cats. You seemed very interested in getting his name, and very sure that he would stop. A couple days later, all the cats were fine.”

He tapped his fingers on the calling card, then gave a smile to Goro. “I figured anyone using this power to save cats when it seemingly did nothing to assist them otherwise probably wasn’t a bad guy.”

“’Probably wasn’t a…’” Goro echoed. He laughed, a hand raised to hide his face. “You decided to protect me because I saved a few _cats_?”

“Silly, isn’t it?” Kurusu agreed. “But when I looked into it further, I realized all of the changes of hearts were like that. Bankers about to bulldoze a homeless shelter because they couldn’t pay for the apartment complex that month, politicians moving to reduce the funds for an orphanage, teachers abusing their students. Everything you did undeniably made Tokyo a better place.” He took a step towards Goro, completely focused on him.

Goro’s lungs weren’t working, the air around him too thin. His heartbeat rabbit fast in his chest, all Goro could do was remain frozen in place, caught in the grey depths of Kurusu’s eyes. It sounded like Akira… _approved_ of what he’s done.

“I’ve tried,” Goro heard himself confess, the words near breathless.

His reward was a blinding grin. It grew slowly across Akira’s face, bringing the warmth of dawn to the cold air between them.

“And that’s why I’ve protected you. And why I’ll continue to do so.” Akira took another step forwards, leaning towards Goro like he could make him believe his words with shear proximity alone. “You can trust me on this, I’m not going to turn you in for what you’ve done.”

Goro couldn’t help the hiccup of rising tears.

The relief was too big for his body. He felt himself sway, and it was all he could do not to fall. Through a watery gaze, he saw Akira come closer, reaching out to him.

Goro let himself be pulled tight, wrapped up in a hug that felt safer than anything since the memory of his mother’s embrace.

He was safe.

Akira said that he would protect him.

He wouldn’t turn him in.

Goro was _safe_.

Goro felt ugly sobs rise through him, tearing through his lungs and throat, breaking any words he might have said into gasps and whimpers. He held onto Akira’s shirt with the desperation of a drowning man, feeling his tears soak his shoulder and unable to stop. He was just so _relieved_.

Akira gently lowered them to the ground, settling Goro in his lap and humming quiet platitudes. He wrapped one arm around Goro’s shoulders, the other tracing soothing lines through his hair.

Soon enough, Goro ran out of the energy needed to cry and just lay there, tired and hiccupping wetly. He could hear Akira’s heartbeat, and he closed his eyes to focus on its calm rhythm. Without much thought, Goro matched his breaths to those next to him, bringing his system slowly back to equilibrium.

“I bet that cry felt good.”

Akira’s voice rumbled through both their chests with how close they were, and Goro nodded against his shoulder. He felt drained, empty and wrung out. Like someone had dumped out everything that he was made of and just left the barren shell behind. Yet he also felt like a festering wound of anxiety had been purged, leaving him free to move without wincing with fear of disturbing it. Absently, he kneaded his hands in Akira’s shirt, just feeling the soft weave of the cloth. He let the texture fill his thoughts, floating on the nothing in his head.

“Do you want to know the silliest part of this all?” Akira murmured above him.

Goro tried to think the question through, but his head was still full of cotton from the rush of emotions. Trying to place meaning on words, never mind stringing them together sensibly, felt like trying to catch small fish in a river. They were there, sparkling and flashing through the depths, but kept slipping through his grasp.

Goro just shrugged and let Akira decide if that was response enough.

Apparently it was, as Akira buried his nose in Goro’s hair with a small laugh and continued.

“I wasn’t sure if I was going to be able to arrest you even if you ended up a murderer.”

_That_ managed to shock Goro enough to get his brain working.

He pushed himself up, forcing Akira to let go of him so they could be face to face.

“You what?” Goro croaked. All that talk about making sure Goro wasn’t a criminal and then this? What the hell?

“Yeah,” Akira dragged the word out, “It might have taken only talking to you the once for me to be stupidly infatuated, and then each time I saw you from afar it really only made it worse.” He thumped his head back against the wall they were leaning against. “I think that was the most stalker-ish thing I’ve ever said, and it’s practically my job to stalk people.”

Goro was going to sue life if any more shocks happened to him today. Akira was actually infatuated? With him?

“You know,” Akira continued, still staring at the ceiling, “it really isn’t fair how handsome you are, or how nice and polite, or how graceful.”

Goro just stared as Akira kept talking. He was still stuck on Akira’s flirting apparently being _real_.

“And it is absolutely unfair how clever you are, no one should be allowed to be as smart and cunning as I’ve seen you.”

“The world isn’t fair.”

The words startled Goro; he hadn’t realized he was going to speak.

But they got Akira to look back at him, and Goro would pay anything to keep the emotion in those grey eyes focused on him forever.

Akira smiled at him, face so soft with affection that Goro could feel himself turning red in response.

“No,” Akira sighed, “it isn’t.” He leaned forwards, giving Goro plenty of time to back away if he wanted to.

Goro absolutely did not want to.

Lips stopping just shy of making contact, Akira breathed out a question. “Why don’t we make it fair together?”

Goro surged forwards, sealing the deal with a kiss.

Nothing could stop them now.

 

 


End file.
